Hi, hi! I want to apologize first and foremost before I get into anything! It has been quite a while since I last updated and I am sorry for not at least giving a forewarning as to the absence. I explained my current plans for future updating on my other story, but in case you were curious, I will be updating at least once a week! I want to make sure I am writing every day, even if just a bit.

Enjoy!

"As you can see, there have been no prior deaths that have occurred on the property, nor have there been any deaths recently." The principal, Ryou Matsui, was currently walking with Oliver down the hall and through the school. Classes were currently in session and Naru was confirming the historical past of the building and the grounds. "The level of activity here has really stumped me. I cannot think of any reason as to why there have been so many disturbances."

Naru sighed. He was getting extremely tired of hearing this man say he had no idea what could be causing the activity. "I understand, Mr. Matsui, but there are still some other circumstances that must be addressed before we can safely say that this school is indeed experiencing abnormal occurrences."

The bald man nodded. "Of course, of course! My, you are so thorough, it's nice to have a conversation with someone who isn't just learning how to form proper sentences." He chuckled referring to his younger students.

Naru was not amused. His hunch was constantly nagging him in the back of his brain and there was no way that he was going to forget asking about the child Takigawa and Matsuzaki had mentioned. Considering the activity that happens around this child, there could be greater issues at hand.

He cleared his throat. "I have another matter, Mr. Matsui,"

"Of course! What would you like to discuss?"

"The child that my employees spoke with yesterday, what is his name?" Naru clicked his pen and poised it over a blank page in his notebook. "I asked them to look through the pictures in the school database you provided us. However, they were unable to identify him."

Naru watched as the color drained from the older man's face. "Yes, about that," He cleared his throat. "The mother of the child wants limited contact, so, unfortunately, you are prohibited from speaking with her son, the best I can do is an observation, and even that is pushing it."

Naru frowned. What kind of mother wanted to hide her child from the world? Something about the way that these incidents happened around the kid set alarm bells off in Naru's mind, and he needed to meet this child. But now with this information about the mother, he was tempted to ask to meet her as well. What would make someone want to hide a person from others? His curiosity peaked.

"Is there any way to get in contact with the mother, or the father about setting up a confidential interview?" Naru couldn't believe he had to compromise for a child. "Please reassure them that everyone here at the school is a client, regardless of age, and any information on her son will be kept entirely confidential."

"Yes, well, she is already familiar with your group. She actually specifically mentioned your group and does not want you anywhere near her or her child."

This took his interest to another level. "I'm sorry, who is this woman?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss her name or her son's," Naru was starting to get irritated. "You must understand, Mr. Shibuya, her son is incredibly intelligent and she has a lot of authority when it comes to his privacy."

"How did it go?" Monk asked as Naru reentered the base. "Did you figure out who the kid is?" Ayako joined Monk on the couch in the base they had set up on the ground floor. Lin was situated quietly in front of the monitors.

"Unfortunately, the kids' mother is extremely adamant about her son's privacy, and she specifically mentioned me and how her child was not to come in contact with anyone related to SPR." Naru couldn't believe this was happening to him. He was already aggravated about the lack of electronic fluctuations on anyone's devices, and now what he knew was a lead is practically untouchable. He handed Lin the temperature readings he had taken early that day. It was now late afternoon and the school day was coming to an end.

Ayako looked at Monk nervously and Naru watched their exchange with a blank expression.

"You two know something, don't you?" He didn't need an answer after seeing the way they reacted after he said that. Their eyes looked around nervously.

Monk spoke first. "We know the mother,"

Naru raised an eyebrow. "That saves me a lot of time trying to get the information out of the principal." Walking over to the monitors he grabbed the notebook he had set on top, clicked his pen, and waited.

Ayako sighed. "We're not going to tell you," She crossed her arms at the glare he sent her in response to her refusal. "If she doesn't want us to know, or talk to her kid, who cares?"

Naru pinched the bridge of his nose. "The activity that has been seen has only been around that child." Understanding spread across the two faces of his teammates. "Do you understand now why this is not a matter of curiosity, but safety? For not only the school but also the child."

"Wait, so a spirit is following this kid?" She shrugged. "Why don't we give the principal a charm to give to the kid?"

Naru knew she hadn't caught on yet.

"The issue isn't a spirit," Naru almost growled out the information. He was starting to get a headache.

Lin turned his head to face the conversation. "You think the child has PK?"

Naru looked at him and nodded. "I think he is causing poltergeists and it is getting out of hand." He quickly reviewed his notes. "It makes the most logical sense considering the lack of deaths, evidence, and witness accounts. For a school this size, it would be impossible for someone not to notice something strange."

Monk laughed nervously. "Are you positive?"

"Almost entirely." Monk knew better than to doubt Naru.

"If that is the case, a child's privacy has gone out the window," Lin said. His chair was still turned around to face his charge and the other two assisting on the case. "This is of grave importance, especially at a young age."

Naru nodded. "I am aware of that, which is why I have been trying to extract the information from the principal."

Lin thought a moment. "School is ending soon; you might be able to find the mother if she is picking her son up."

Naru looked to Monk and Ayako. "That is a great idea. One of you will accompany me."

Ayako huffed. "Why? Just take Lin!"

"Lin does not know what the child and his mother look like." He didn't bother anymore after that.

"Oh, yeah," Ayako leaned against the back of the couch. "Well, I guess you'll have to take Monk."

"Hey, what!" Monk looked at her in shock. "Why me?"

"Because I don't want to," Ayako got up and stretched her arms. "So, Lin! What can I do to help?"

"Ayako!" Monk exclaimed.

"Well if you really want to help, you can help me type up these accounts from the children we interviewed, considering an exorcism will not be necessary."

"I'll get on that!"

Naru looked to the Monk. "Let's go." He didn't wait for a reply.

The bell that singled the end of the day had gone off a few minutes ago, and Naru and Monk were currently waiting in the front of the school for the kid, that only Monk could identify.

"It doesn't look like he's here, Naru," Monk said shrugging. "We should cut our losses and try tomorrow."

"We need to explain this situation to the mother as soon as possible. It puts her and her son's life in danger."

"What do you mean? How would it affect the mother?"

"Let's say her son brings home an angry spirit by accident. I doubt she will know what to do, and until her child learns how to control his abilities, this will keep occurring."

Monk bit his lip. He didn't know Mai's son at all, but he knew Mai. Whether she changed or not, Monk still knew her and loved her as much as he did back when they were a team. They were a family. Therefore, he cared for Mai's son as well, regardless of their lack of history.

As if he was summoned, Monk caught a glimpse of black hair out of the corner of his eye. Sure enough, her son ran by the pair. At the same time, while he was lost in thought of his own experience of uncontrollable abilities, something drew Naru out of his brain. A strange feeling encapsulated his chest and he felt a strange recognition overcome his being.

"Naru!" Monk whispered loudly to him. "That's the kid!" He pointed and Naru followed his finger.

A little boy with black hair and blue eyes was walking towards the line of parked cars at the entrance of the school building. Looking at the child, Naru felt a surge of familiarity and he couldn't help but notice the similar features that this kid had and how he looked when he was younger. But the thought was fleeting.

"Ren!" A feminine voice broke over the chatter of kids.

The child he was watching took off towards the voice, squealing. "Mama!"

A figure standing in front of a black car bent down and enveloped her son in a hug. He couldn't see the face of the mother considering she had her back to him. They engaged in some conversation and Naru took this distraction to move closer to them to have a word with the mother he had yet to meet.

"-and then we talked about the sea!" The child was telling his mother about, what Naru assumed to be, the lecture of the day. His voice was clearly excited about the things he had learned.

"Wow! That is so cool!" His mother replied and Naru couldn't help the way her voice had immediately captured his attention. "You'll need to tell me more when we get home, I need to get dinner going now."

He decided to step in. "Excuse me, ma'am?" Naru could see her more clearly now. Her dark brown hair was clipped in the back and he could see a hint of bangs to the front. She was pale considering where she lived, and her outfit consisting of a pencil skirt, high heels, and a blouse, screamed an office job of some type. He said his request politely, but only so much emotion was expressed. Served her right considering the trouble her weird rules had given him. "Could I have a moment of your time, concerning your son?"

"Unless you're the principal, it doesn't concern me or my son." Her reply had Naru reeling for a moment. She hadn't even turned around to consider the person talking. Irritation quickly made its way to him, but he remained emotionless nonetheless.

"I'm surprised you wouldn't even consider anything I had to say."

"I only have so much time to give."

It was then that Monk stood next to him. Naru took a moment to notice the slight twist in his face.

"Mai," Naru looked straight at Monk. They hadn't heard from her in quite some time, and Naru hadn't seen her since the conference he had attended. But even that had been over five years ago, she was probably way into her career by now. The only question was why was Monk saying that name. "Mai, please we just want to help your son."

Naru felt a lump in his throat and at the same time, his stomach dropped. She was here, right in front of him, and he had no idea what to say. What was she doing here? Did Monk say 'son'? Was he hearing that right?

Caramel eyes hit icy blue, and Naru found himself staring into the same eyes he had first met when he was a teenager. She hadn't changed much from when he saw her years ago, but her hair was slightly longer, and her hips were slightly wider. Despite this, she remained quite skinny, something Naru had always been secretly concerned about, but it looks like she isn't nearly as tiny. Her cheeks were sharper and her eyes had a sad emptiness to them. He noticed a slight well of tears in her eyes, but they vanished like a light.

"Shibuya, Takigawa, what exactly do you think he needs help with?" Her voice was slightly deeper and her speech was much more articulated.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed tiny eyes peeking out from around Mai's thin legs. He barely even noticed Mai push the boy behind her.

A thought occurred to him as his eyes locked with the black-haired child, so catastrophic that he wasn't sure if he was breathing. He must have shown something because Monk placed a secure grip on his shoulder.

Rarely is his calm demeanor shaken, but his thoughts were all over the place. He couldn't keep up with them anymore. Thankfully, Monk had taken over.

"This activity is following him," Monk spoke for Naru. "We need to interview him and find out why."

Mai looked slightly taken aback, the only sign of emotional outburst, if anything angry. "Following him?" She placed a hand on top of her son's who had it on the side of her thigh. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"We would need to have Lin evaluate him before we were sure, but we think your son could have PK." Monk licked his lips and looked away and then back to Mai. "We know you don't possess PK, but you do have ESP. However, we would need to look at the father to see if it was inherited."

Monk was implying something that both of the other adults caught onto immediately.

"Mama?" The child's voice spoke up through the dramatic pause that was currently in the atmosphere. "I think I should talk with them." Ren looked directly at Naru with a suspicious amount of understanding.

"Absolutely not." Mai's quick denial woke up a possessive side of Naru.

"So, you'd rather let your son experience a gradual decline due to untrained PK." Naru wasn't sure where the confidence to speak came from, but he stuck with it. "Keep in mind, that puts you, him, and anyone else he comes in contact with, in danger. That's an idiotic decision."

Both Monk and Mai glared at Naru. "Well regardless of your opinion, Shibuya," Mai spat. "It is still my decision."

"We need a decision as soon as possible." He should have stopped there, but his brain wasn't keeping up with his emotions and he was lashing out. "Or does your child's wellbeing not mean anything to you?"

Her eyes immediately filled with intense hate, one he had never seen in her eyes. It startled him a moment, and he regretted his words immediately.

"How dare you." The tears she had in her eyes did nothing to extinguish the anger that blazed through. "You have absolutely no idea what I do to keep him safe."

Monk intervened. "We get it Mai, but we really do need an answer soon. Thing's cannot continue without training if that is the case."

Mai looked over to the Monk. "I understand what you're saying, but I'm telling you I will not be discussing this any further."

"Mai please-"

"Here," She handed Monk her business card. "Call the second number, we'll find a day to meet outside of school and work."

She opened up the door on the side and ushered her child inside the cab of the car and looked back at the two.

"I apologize for getting upset," Mai admitted before she turned away. "I know you only want what is best, but we cannot converse so lightly here in the open."

"Mai," Naru couldn't help but stop her. The desire to know right from the source and to speak with her more overtook his lack of confrontation. "Mai, who is-"

"Not here." Mai didn't look away from her hand grasping the door handle. "We can talk some other time." She got inside the car and spoke to the driver, who Naru had just noticed.

The car pulled away from the curb, and Naru was left with a hollow feeling.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Monk said pushing Naru's shoulder so he was facing him. "You didn't tell anyone you have a son? How long have you known?"

Naru stared at him blankly. "Just today." Monk was taken aback. "But it isn't possible. There's no way she was pregnant." He pressed his hand into his head. "God."

Monk looked at Naru with worry. "Naru, I don't think you need a blood test to know that that child is 100% of yours and Mai's creation."

Hearing it out loud made it that much scarier for both of them. The possibility that Oliver was a father was starting to increase and he didn't know if he liked the odds.

There you have it! I hope you enjoyed this week's update! Until next week, feel free to message me or leave a review! I would love to hear from everyone! Hope you all are doing alright!

Stay safe and sane!

Cheers!